CMU CLOSES LANSING CHARTER SCHOOL
LANSING, Mich. — Central Michigan University has decided not to renew its
charter for the Sankofa Shule Academy, a charter public school located in
Lansing, according to the Lansing State Journal.

The school has been operating for 12 years and has a specialized Afrocentric
curriculum. Enrollment at Sankofa Shule dropped from 200 students to 80 students
this past school year and its financial situation and management have faced
public scrutiny.

The charter expires on June 30, the Journal reported. CMU officials have
found no way to justify keeping it open.

"They are no longer financially viable," James Goenner, executive director of
the Center for Charter Schools at CMU, told the Journal. "We want them to be
successful, but we also have a role to ensure their accountability on behalf of
the public."

Unlike conventional public schools, charter public schools face
accountability standards that can lead to their closure based on enrollment
drops or fiscal mismanagement.

A high teacher turnover rate as well as an investigation five years ago into
money handling problems were all issues taken into consideration as the contract
came up for renewal, the Journal reported.

Sankofa Shule is the 28th Michigan charter school to close in 14 years, the
Journal reported. But the school's closing can be beneficial, according to Dan
Quisenberry, president of the Michigan Association of Public School Academies,
because CMU will now have a competitive application process and possibly open
another charter school by fall 2008, according to the Journal.

HAZEL PARK COMMUNITY MEMBERS LOOK TO RECALL BOARD MEMBERS
HAZEL PARK, Mich. — Two members of the Hazel Park school board are being
targeted for recall after voting to close two schools, add sixth grade to the
existing junior high school and continue the Schools of Choice program,
according to the Royal Oak Daily Tribune.

The two members being targeted are Melvin Rasmusson and Ricky D.
Nagy. Supporters of the recall are in the process of having the recall ballot
language approved. If it is approved by the Oakland County probate judge,
supporters will have 180 days to gather more than 1,600 petition signatures to
see the proposal on the ballot, the Daily Tribune reported.

Two other members who supported the closings, Harold R. Brenizer and Terry A.
Troutt, were voted out of office during the May school board election. Laura
LaForme also supported the closings, but is not targeted in the recall,
according to city activist Ed Bullock, because she has only been a board member
since November, the Daily Tribune reported.

Rasmusson said it was predictable and expected, according to the Daily
Tribune.

"They certainly have a right to do it," Rasmusson told the Daily Tribune.
"This is fairly typical in closings of schools. It's very predictable. But I
really think I would like to see the good people unite and show the self-serving
people on the fringe that's not the way we want to run the school district."
School Board President Clinton Adkins supports Rasmusson and Nagy, even
though their votes on the three issues differed.

"I disapprove of the recall," Adkins told the Daily Tribune.
"They haven't done anything to be recalled for. They just voted the way they
felt they should vote on an important issue."

Michigan Education Digest, "Board member may face recall for moving kids to
new school," Jan. 4, 2006
http://www.educationreport.org/7564
MASON-LAKE ISD DROPS MESSA, GIVES RAISES
AMBER TWP., Mich. — The Mason-Lake Intermediate School District and
Mason-Lake Education Association agreed to a three-year contract which includes
a switch in health plans and salary increases, according to the Ludington Daily
News.

The 42-members of the MLEA will receive 2.5 percent pay increases for each of
the three years and move away from health coverage administered by the Michigan
Education Special Services Association, a third-party administrator affiliated
with the Michigan Education Association school employees union. The ISD will
switch to a health insurance plan provided by Blue Cross Blue Shield, the Daily
News reported.

"We have a very good relationship with our education association group and
we're pleased with the outcome," ISD Human Resources Director Cindy Gleason told
the Daily News. "It's a good contract for both sides."

HOWELL TEACHERS CONTRIBUTE MORE FOR MESSA PREMIUMS
HOWELL, Mich. — The Howell school board voted in favor of a contract that
could add $1 million to the district's budget. The contract includes pay
increases for teachers as well as union affiliated health insurance plans,
according to the Livingston Daily Press & Argus.

Teachers will receive a retroactive pay increase of 0.5 percent for the
2006-2007 school year and a 2.25 percent raise for both the 2007-2008 and the
2008-2009 school years, the Daily Press & Argus reported.

Howell Education Association members will keep their health insurance
administered by the Michigan Education Special Services Association, but will
contribute $600 towards premiums for the
2007-2008 school year and $750 the following year. MESSA is a third-party
administrator affiliated with the Michigan Education Association school
employees union. Health coverage in the third year of the contract will depend
on MESSA premium increases, according to the Daily Press & Argus.
If premiums increase by six percent or less, teachers will continue to
contribute $750. If premiums increase by 6.1 to 14.99 percent, the district will
switch health plans and cover the entire cost. If premiums increase by 15
percent or more, the district will switch health plans and teachers will
contribute $750 toward their own health insurance, the Daily Press & Argus
reported.

The board approved the contract 6-1. The dissenting vote was cast by Trustee
Wendy Day who said the board was placing too much hope in state funding
increases, according to the Daily Press & Argus.

BRIDGEPORT-SPAULDING DISTRICT ENDS SCHOOLS OF CHOICE
BRIDGEPORT, Mich. — The Bridgeport-Spaulding school district voted 4-3 to end
their participation in the Schools of Choice program and will close enrollment
to those students not assigned to the district, The Saginaw News reported.
Students who are currently enrolled in the district through Schools of Choice
will not be affected, but no new students will be allowed to enroll for the
2007-2008 school year. Board member Michael A. Tate voted against participation
in the program because it would allow Bridgeport to come together as a
community, The News reported.

"We're better off as a smaller, leaner fighting machine," Tate said,
according to The News.

Board member Marvin L. Morris supports participation in Schools of Choice
because well-performing school districts are often appealing to outside
students, The News reported.

"I like to think of us in a growth mode," Morris said. "If we're in that
mode, we should be open to students."

Available at http://forum.educationreport.org,
the site features timely news about Michigan schools, a variety of open forums
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gift certificate.

The summer 2007 edition of Michigan Education Report readers will find
articles about:
- research concluding that consolidating school districts is not the best way
to save money in education;
- the first year at one of Michigan's newest private schools, Trinitas
Classical School in Grand Rapids;
- incentive pay programs for teachers in Michigan districts;
- schools using radio, television and billboards to market themselves;
- an update on the country's first statewide school voucher program in Utah.
Michigan Education Report is available online at
http://www.educationreport.org.

MICHIGAN EDUCATION DIGEST is a service of Michigan Education
Report (http://www.educationreport.org),
a quarterly newspaper
published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy
(http://www.mackinac.org),
a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan
research and educational institute.